Alternative transport and electric vehicles

[Melooon]

So these videos pop up on my youtube feed every now and then and Im always fascinated by them.. partly I suppose because I cant drive and I can hardly ride a bike (balance issues) but also because I really don't like cars. I don't like the noise they make or the pollution they generate, or the health impact they have on people who end up driving all the time!

There has to be a better way/ways!

Arcimoto make sort of ev-bike 3 weelers they make SUCH A COOL SOUND, they look really safe and fun.. although not great for Irish weather.. Id love to try one though!

Aptera also make sort of sci-fi 3 weelers, although they are more car-ish.. I find these a little less convincing but they look like cheesy 90s movie props which I love.

A totally great all solar van made by some dude from Australia/NZ?.. its really slow and silly, but It kinda makes you re-think travel.. its like land sailing? That makes we want to make a game about land sailing!

Those are some of my favourites; is anyone else interested in this subject, do you d:ha:think about alternative forms of transport?

[Swiftpaw]

I ride an Ebike and it's far more fun to me than a car ever was. It's all the benefits of a bike with being smaller, able to take more shortcuts, and being able to stop wherever, but with the ability to go much further without much effort. There's no need for gas or insurance either. There's a lot of neat router where I am that I never realized until I got my bike. E-bikes are also better if you have poor balance in my opinion because you can get going faster, and my dad has a mountain e-bike that has large wheels and is very easy to balance on.

I'm not as familiar with electric cars but on the trail I regularly go down I've seen some people with what look like homemade three-wheelers. I'd like to talk about them if we're ever going in the same direction, but so far I haven't gotten that lucky. I sometimes seem e-bikes on the road but my anxiety with driving a car was all the deadly machines on all sides of me and the fact that I too was piloting something that could kill someone. It was all around terrifying to me when I had to take a bike haha

[Pepyogurt]

As an American, I am a heavy advocate for any form of transportation that isn't cars. So much of our space is dedicated to cars, whether it be ever-expanding roads or parking lots, and because of that it makes it very hard (even dangerous) to be without one. I can understand the appeal of cars, as they're kinda like private jets except for the ground, but I feel people commonly use cars for niches that buses and trains could fill in just because having a car is the 'norm'.

There is some obvious environmental benefits of switching cars for public transportation, but some economical benefits are present too. Because so much space is dedicated to cars, not having one often shuts you out from things, but getting a car is expensive too.

Aside from public transportation, the Acrimoto seems super cool! If it hasn't already, I really hope this product gets off the ground and becomes a real thing. My views on it may shift depending on how much it costs... but I feel like this kind of vehicle would be perfect for someone like me. Cars are very powerful, for sure, but I don't need that much utility when the only person I'm gonna be transporting is myself.

[tarocchilla]

There are similar electric cars going around in my country- but i am not sure how they are called!
Anyways i think that some reaserch should defenetly get better in understanding how to dispose of lithium batteries, but i also hope more ecofriendly car start taking over.

[angel-val]

Those types of videos showing ""futuristic alternative modes of transport"" are basically all scams or pipe dreams. If you want to fix transport, all you need to do is make cities less car-centric, and more accommodating of bikes and foot traffic. Trains are also great, especially for bigger/less dense city structures.

Really, we already have the technology needed to fix transport, it's just that the car industry makes a huge amount of money, and is heavily subsidized by governments all over the world, so it's very difficult to change the status quo. It's not a tech problem, it's a capitalism problem.

If you want creators that elaborate on this problem and related topics, check out Not Just Bikes on YT/nebula and Adam Something on just YT.

Edit: also, sorry to revive a dead post but this is a special interest of mine :p

[Cele]

Edit: also, sorry to revive a dead post but this is a special interest of mine :p

Don't worry, necroing is fine here!

My biggest "problem" with a lot of these alternatives is that we get a lot of snow and ice and slush and some of these are just simply not built with that in mind. The town is too small so there are no trains within it (only trains leading to other towns), and even busses go kind of limitedly (not on weekends for example). I survive within the town center just fine with my legs or even my bike if I feel like using it (which I usually don't, walking is more chill ) but the second I need to go to a store that's a bit more to the side, I need a car ride from someone.

Currently, hybrid cars seem to be taking off way better than fully elecrtic cars. It's also because distances here are big, so if you need to drive between multiple municipalities, there might not be enough charging places. It's a slow development I guess, there are more of them all the time. (Though I am currently happy about not having a car because the fuel and electricity prices are through the roof x( )

[Memory]

Nowadays, the future is all about e-cars... but let me tell you a secret: Much higher potential than the electric cars have the equine carts (horse and donkey). Unless synthetic fuels become a thing. Because you can't grow oil and all the ingredients for batteries. Too complicated. Grow crops instead, which powers the horse or yourself on the bicycle.

Also, all that e-stuff will turn eventually to e-scrap and then we have a big problem. Even if it only has half the speed, the heavy 90s steel bicycle is the way to go, and that old one can be understood and fixed in every detail. E-Bikes are like Microsoft, a locked system. And all new cars also. I don't support that and went well at low cost, although it can be tough sometimes to be outside in the weather.

[Onio]

Nowadays, the future is all about e-cars... but let me tell you a secret: Much higher potential than the electric cars have the equine carts (horse and donkey). Unless synthetic fuels become a thing. Because you can't grow oil and all the ingredients for batteries. Too complicated. Grow crops instead, which powers the horse or yourself on the bicycle.

Also, all that e-stuff will turn eventually to e-scrap and then we have a big problem. Even if it only has half the speed, the heavy 90s steel bicycle is the way to go, and that old one can be understood and fixed in every detail. E-Bikes are like Microsoft, a locked system. And all new cars also. I don't support that and went well at low cost, although it can be tough sometimes to be outside in the weather.

Hmm, well, you could use a kit (or buy parts separately perhaps) and build your own eBike.

I've really been considering an eBike to replace most driving in my life. It's an attractive options and I feel like I would enjoy it. Just gotta save up! However, the eScrap does concern me, but that can just as easily apply to normal car batteries as well. No matter what (so long as you can't have a horse) you're using a battery!

[Wobblegong]

I just love trolleys
they're so classy

I'm fairly anti-car would love to live somewhere that I don't need to own one at all

[Memory]

That choice of a living place isn't thought deep enough by many in my opinon. It's far to important how you get to work/school for example. I would get completly obese from all this sitting if I wouldn't have my bicycle ride. And more importantly, sitting for a long time is only possible because of the bicycle.

@Onio: You're right, there are kits available for E-Bikes that can be screwed together by oneself. It's just the general trend that worries me, full integration of everything.
Gears and brakes for example. Hydraulic stuff nowadays. Complicated. If my gears don't shift properly, I just adjust a wire by hand...
At this point in time, these old bicycles are still available. But what if that's all Retro and expensive in 20 years? That's not proper cycling if I can't get some scrap for 10 Euros and get it fixed for 30 Euros. It's the "option for everyone", that defines the bicycle (for me at least). E-Bikes really cost a lot, but that doesn't mean that they aren't successful. I've heard that out of all new bikes that are being sold, E-Bikes are now in the majority, or probably close below 50%.

[Melooon]

I swear! I started getting spam e-mails to the forum e-mail address from e-bike companies after you guys started talking about them Are we interested in buying a container load of e-bikes from a well equipped factory? (Apparently they have durable breaks!) "Embrace Darkness, Fearless Riding At Night"

Also I did wanna add, maybe its ok for a vehicle to just exist for fun! A lot of these companies claim to be interested in transportation revolutions, but not everything has to be a revolution I think it would just be fun to have an electric beach buggy, even if its not very practical in the rain!

[Memory]

I think we need more trains to completely replace cars. They can be electric, durable, accessible, efficient and climate friendly. Local trains, village trains, massive transport networks.

[angel-val]

Buses would also be nice, although if there are no roads, then trams would be more practical and much more easily integrated

[Melooon]

Iv got another one for the pile! This looks a bit silly on the ground, but when its in the air its actually very graceful.. although I suspect Im gonna need about 20 million more donations before I'll ever afford one :omg:k: